Chapter 6: Card Captor of Aurora

"That was harsh, saying that you didn't have what it took to be a card captor," Sakura admitted, "But you were mean, as well-you hurt Tomoyo's feelings!"

"I know," Meilin pouted. She flopped onto Sakura's bed and almost onto a sleeping Kero.

"Meilin, watch it!" Sakura cried.

"Sorry, Kero," Meilin apologized. "But then again, I'm not that heavy."

Kero replied with a phrase that caused Sakura to wince and cover her ears.

"Kero, watch your mouth!" Sakura warned. "Anyway, we have to solve this problem, Meilin. You can't hide from Syaoran forever. You two are cousins." Sakura reasoned.

"Like I want to talk to those two." Meilin sniffed.

When Sakura didn't reply, Meilin heaved a loud sigh.

"All right, I'll apologize." She said loudly.

"Be quiet." Sakura shushed her. "Concentrate. Don't you feel the scent of a Clow Card?"

"When did we put capturing cards on our agenda?" Meilin whined, but it was already too late. Sakura had summoned fly and had proceeded to fly out of her bedroom window.

"Are you coming or not?" Sakura grinned. "Didn't you want to prove to Syaoran that you were the better card captor?"

Ten minutes later, the two card captors were at the park. Five Golden Clow cards watched them from a ledge high above the ground.

"Are you sure that our master's plan is foolproof?" asked Possess. "It could be a trick."

"I'm sure! After all, he said that if we use our part of the deal wisely, then there is no way for us to fail." Sound said confidently. "If you're so worried, Possess, then why aren't you taking extra measures?"

"Explode," Possess said automatically. "Destroy the two card captors."

Sakura tensed as she felt the presence of a Clow Card not far from her and Meilin.

"Syaoran has shadow, doesn't he?" Sakura asked.

"That's why splitting 53 cards between four people is a drag," Meilin answered.

"Especially when two of the four are-."

Meilin left her sentence unfinished.

"Sakura!" she shouted. "To your right!"

Meilin pushed Sakura out of the way just as the entire row of trees on the right side of the park exploded.

"Shield!"

A shield formed around the two girls, protecting them from the next blast.

"Where's the card?" Meilin asked frantically.

Before Sakura could answer, the ground below them gave way, sending both her and Meilin tumbling into a deep crevice.

"Fly!" Sakura commanded.

A pair of wings sprouted from her back; she used them to pull Meilin and herself to safety. Explode was waiting for them outside the abyss. It had changed to reveal its true form.

Explode was a young girl with straight, golden hair and a red and gold spiked dress. The card shot the card captors a mischievous smile, then launched itself into the air. A second later, Sakura and Meilin were assailed by a flurry of explosions.

"Windy! Watery! Erase! Nothing! Earthy!" Sakura blocked shot after shot without fail, but the next shot proved to be too much for her. Sakura used Mirror against a particularly large explosion, but the sheer force of it threw her backwards into a tree. Sakura fell to the ground and stayed there.

"No! Sakura!" Meilin cried.

The aurora card captor turned to glare at her enemy, who smiled menacingly.

"I'll get you-for hurting my friend! Wave!"

Meilin extinguished the card's fiery aura, then knocked it down with a kick using Power. Before Explode could recover, Meilin had already begun the chant that would seal the Golden Clow.

"Back to your true form! Clow card!" Meilin commanded. A second later, a card with a gold seal floated down to her outstretched hands.

"Sakura! Are you all right?" Meilin gently shook her wounded friend.

"I'm fine, it's only my leg, it's bleeding…" Sakura smiled. "Thanks for worrying about me."

"I'm sorry, Sakura! I really shouldn't have let you fight by yourself! Here, now, I'll take you home." Meilin apologized.

"I'm the one with Fly! I'll take you home, Meilin!" Sakura laughed.

Really, Meilin thought, sharing Clow Cards is tough.

"Syaoran! Tomoyo! I have something to say!"

Tomoyo was surprised. After what had happened the day before, she wouldn't have been surprised if Meilin had given her and Syaoran the silent treatment.

"I have something to say to you, too." Syaoran replied.

"You-both of you-were right. I'm sorry for doubting you, Syaoran. And I'm sorry for hurting your feelings, Tomoyo." Meilin breathed.

"You are?" Syaoran and Tomoyo asked in unison.

"I-I-I should be sorry, not you! I insulted you…" Syaoran stammered.

"And I said that you didn't know the meaning of a friend…" Tomoyo added.

Meilin shushed them both by taking out Explode.

"Look. Just as you said, Syaoran."

"Wow," Syaoran whispered. "A Golden Clow card…"

"So," Sakura interrupted the trio. "It's settled, then! We're friends again!"

"Honestly, Sakura," Meilin laughed. "You jump to conclusions way too quickly."

To be continued…